Epidemic
by mishellemybelle13
Summary: What if what Edward was saying about killing a murderer to justify his dealing with feeding, actually happened?What if it wasn't just an example? What if he knew the girl he saved? What if he loved her? Her name was Olivia Waters and this is her story.
1. Chapter 1

Running Scared

Prologue

Footsteps echoed behind me as I ran, he was coming closer. His auburn hair tousled from the hunt, his once green eyes now pitch black. My skirts made running nearly impossible, but I knew I must not slow down, he will catch me but not without a fight. I made a sharp right and landed in a dead end, his silhouette outlined in the darkness. He was the only thing blocking the alleyway. His fangs glistened in the moonlight, I was going to die.

Chapter One

"Olivia, hurry up. Madam Le Fluer will scold you again," my sister Elizabeth stood frowning once again as I slowly closed my book.

"Lizzie, you know they canceled classes ever since the epidemic. For once just sit down and relax, read or draw, but do something," I, too, stood and tied my wavy dark hair into a loose bun from some ribbon on the table.

"Livy, you always read, but for once aren't you scared? What if we contract the disease?" she countered, giving me a glared.

I paused and frowned, "I'm absolutely terrified." I walked to the window and stared, the streets have been empty for quite awhile and no one wanted to be outdoors. Afraid of catching the influenza, schools have been closed and we are forced to hide from the air.

"Did you hear? The entire Masen family caught it. You remember Edward, the really handsome one? I heard he's really sick. You should go visit him," Lizzie smiled, pretending everything was fine. I smiled and watched the sun, it was high in the sky and I could see the hospitals from here.

"I don't know him, well, I don't talk to him much and you said yourself it was scary. What if we catch it?" I paced the room, looking at the floor and fidgeting with my skirts. Just about doing anything to not think about him. Edward Anthony Masen. He was the most handsome young man I had ever laid eyes on. He had bronze hair that was always disheveled and bright green eyes. He was tall and lean with a slight muscle on his frame. I could never tell my dear sister I was hopelessly in love with him.

"So, besides, doctors work day and night by their side and they don't get sick come on, please," looking at her, the golden curls around her face made her look sweeter and younger than nineteen years of age, three years my senior. I smiled and nodded my head, I felt older standing next to her.

"But you do know mother and father might not agree to this," I walked out of the room and started down the stairs.

"Livy, don't worry. They'll let us, we'll just say we want to visit all those who are sick and offer our prayers, you know mother and father want us to become more involved," I looked at her in awe.

"So you do have a mind." I grabbed my coat and Lizzie gave her excuse to our parents, they agreed but did give us quizzical looks. The hospital was not far from here and only took us a few minutes. We entered and I had not seen so many people in so long, beds were filled with people. I recognized and few, feeling my heart go out to them. Then I saw him. He was in a bed next to a large window looking out. He sat up and was reading a book. I walked over slowly and smiled down at him.

"Hello Edward." He looked up at the sound of his name. He gave a small smile and put down his book.

"Olivia Waters, hello," he was much paler than I had remembered and his emerald eyes were dulled. He was…different somehow.

"How are you feeling," I tried to sound cheerful but by looking at his grin, I had failed.

"Wonderful, what brings you here? I'm surprised" he let me sit on the end of his bed as he stared intently at me.

"Just wanted to see how you were doing? Why are you surprised? How are your parents?" his grin faded and he looked down slowly.

"No one has come to visit. My father is dying and my mother rapidly approaches the same state," he paused, "Olivia, would you do me a favor?" I was caught off guard and gradually nodded my head. "Would you mind bringing me some books? These are terribly boring and I've read them a dozen times."

"Of course Edward," I sighed. I quickly remembered Elizabeth and noticed she was talking with a doctor. He was unbelievably handsome but he was very pale. He had golden hair and from what I could see, an unusual color of eyes, a topaz color. "Who's that?"

"That is Dr. Cullen. He has been the one treating me," he chuckled slightly, "Apparently your sister likes him." I turned back to him and smiled.

Apparently," he smiled and then frowned. "What?"

"What time do you have to leave, it is twilight and the light will soon be gone. I don't think your parents want you and your sister walking at night." I looked outside and he was right, I stood and smiled at him.

"It was good to see you, I do hope you get better," he, too ,stood. He was unsteady but he grabbed the edge of the bed.

"It was good to see you too. Come back anytime," he looked so fragile and the face he gave me was not one of getting better. He knew he was going to die.

I gave a reassuring smile, "I will."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"So, Lizzie, did you find your 'soul mate'?" I smiled watching my sister at her canvas. Ever since our trip to the hospital she had been painting; painting a certain doctor. I walked over to her and she had actually managed to transfer Dr. Cullen's beauty onto canvas. She didn't answer my question; she signed the bottom and fell onto a chair.

"Finished," she sighed. "He is the most amazing man I have ever met," she stared dreamily at the ceiling. "Livy, I think I'm in love." I kneeled down and smiled at her.

"You only met him today," I tried to sound enthusiastic but I just felt that she was taking this out of hand, "What did you two even talk about?"

"Oh, nothing really; the weather, works of art, famous literature; just that sort of things," she trailed off. I looked at her, eyebrows raised; she just smiled picking up an abandoned copy of Shakespeare.

"And you knew for certain that after all this 'meaningful' conversation, that he is the one?" I asked, slightly amused. Only Lizzie could find true love in a matter of minutes, I smiled to myself.

"So," a slow and sly smile grew on her face, "How was Edward? From the way he and you were talking, he did know you." I felt my face flame quickly and I turned away, striding over to the large bookshelf in my bedroom, I picked a few I thought Edward would be interested in. I heard Lizzie's footsteps and when I turned back around she was right in front of me.

"Livy, you didn't answer my question."

"He's fine," I walked past her, "He asked if I could drop off some books tomorrow, he says he finished all the others that they have there." She seemed to take that and left my room and went to hers, readying for bed.

As I laid in bed I couldn't help but think of Edward; he was going through so much and even his own parents couldn't help him. They weren't able to comfort him, they were dying and so was he. I don't think I could survive without seeing those eyes again, that face. Tears escaped and slid down my face, I was getting too worked up. I needed to calm down and get positive.

Edward _would _get better.

He _needed _to get better. For his sake.

And mine.

The next morning I skipped breakfast, I was too worked up for later that afternoon. Even though I was only going to the hospital to drop off books for Edward, I spent the entire morning trying to find something to wear, trying to find out what to say to him. The books laid in a stack, my favorite staring back at me. _Wuthering Heights. _I frowned, thinking about the trip over; I hoped he was feeling somewhat better.

Lizzie decided not to come with me, instead she would catch up on some "reading". More like sketching Dr. Cullen all afternoon.

The streets were still empty as I walked, enjoying the silence. However, the air of silence soon disappeared once I arrived at the hospital; I could hear blood curdling screams and shouts coming from the building. I shivered and walked inside.

Doctors and nurse ran frantically around, moving patients to and from the large room. I walked up the stairs and onto Edward's floor, I saw him immediately. He was asleep; his curtains were closed making the room dark. I didn't have the heart to wake him, so I just placed the books on the table beside him and _tried _to slip out quietly but I somehow hit this very same table causing all the books to make thuds on the floor.

His eyes fluttered open and I noticed a smooth smile spread across his face. I turned away and concentrated on getting the books, but I heard him sigh.

"I needed to wake up anyway," he smiled, teasingly at me.

"Sorry, I didn't mean too, I just wanted to drop off the books and let you sleep," my gaze remained at the books as I quickly picked them up.

"You need help?" his voice came out in a feeble whisper as he leaned towards me. I blushed and shook my head, pins falling beside me. "You sure?" I could hear the laughter in his voice, the musical laughter but it sounded rougher.

"Yes, I've got them all," I placed the stack back on the table and smiled at him, finally meeting his emerald gaze. I fell back on the ground and quickly looked away, "Um, well I really should be going." I stood up quickly and straightened up myself.

He sat up, still smiling, but it weakened slightly, not quite reaching his eyes. "Yes, you really should."

I looked at him curiously, "Why is that?"

"Nothing. It's early; you should head to your classes."

"We don't have classes, ever since the…epidemic, they've been canceled," I smiled, nodding and glancing around; it seemed the room had suddenly gone empty.

"Canceled? Really? I hadn't expected that," he nodded, much like I, it seemed like he was also trying to get his thoughts together.

"Yes," it was getting too quiet now; we were running out of things to say. The clock behind me suddenly chimed. Twelve times. "It's noon already?"

"You need to go somewhere?" he asked curiously.

"No, it just seems so late. That's all," I sighed. This wasn't what I had expected. I had thought we would…connect. Find some common ground and talk for hours, only it wasn't turning out that way. I looked out the large window, overlooking the empty street. The way the sun hung in the sky, it cast a bright light, but the deep shadows seemed somewhat more illuminated.

Hauntingly so.

"Well, it looks like you really should go," he spoke suddenly, breaking my realm of silence.

"Oh, why?"

He gave an amused expression, but his face had a light sheen and an unhealthy glow to it.

"It seems one of the nurses' keeps looking back here and giving us stern looks," I followed his gaze and immediately recognized her. Amelia Telis. I gave a bemused smirk as she continued to stare at me. She had always liked Edward, she must've heard he was sick, probably the only reason she even volunteered in this place.

"Oh, actually she's an old friend from school, don't you recognize her?" I turned back to Edward, ignoring the continuous daggers in my back from her hateful blue eyes.

"Actually, no," he looked down briefly, then met my gaze once again. "I don't really remember much about school, or anybody. I just remember learning." I didn't know if it was a trick of light but I swore I saw his bright eyes flicker at me.

"Really?" I gave a small laugh, "I recall somebody always reading a book or scribbling away in their notebook," I smirked at him and he rolled his eyes.

"Now it looks like you really must go. You're starting to get delirious," he retorted. "Ah, and it looks like your friend is glaring at me for keeping you so long."

I glanced back at Amelia and almost burst out laughing. "I think not. More like the other way around. Amelia never really liked me."

"Hmmm, is that so?" he trailed off and then glanced back out the window. It now seemed as if that was the end of our conversation, he had returned to his somber self.

"Well then," I straightened up and smiled, "It looks like I really must go. It was wonderful seeing you again, Edward." I turned and started to walk away when I heard his voice call after me.

"Olivia," I looked at him, still smiling but now confused. "I would like you to visit me again." I felt a blush creep onto my face and he smirked. "Purely for literary purposes of course. I will soon need new reading material."

"Of course," I stuttered, nodding my head. "Anything special?"

"Anything but romance."

"Oh," I glanced at the stack on his side and quickly wondered if I should remove _Wuthering Heights._ But I chose against it and left quietly.

As I passed Amelia, I noticed a small foot go out of its way in front of me. I looked at her and gave a small smile.

"You'd have to do better than that." And I made my way down the stairs and into the brilliant day before me.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Olivia, grandfather wants to see you," Lizzie murmured as soon as I entered our room. Of course, she was still in bed, taking advantage of days like this.

"What? Why?" I glanced around the room. "Lizzie you were dreaming," I laughed. "You know grandfather isn't here, he's been in the south."

"No, he came in earlier, ranting about where you were and how he saw you visiting the hospital," she sat up slowly; blonde curls falling around her face making me realize that my older sister was so angelic.

"Why should he care?" it was still early in the day, I now regretted leaving so soon. Being around Edward Masen made me lose track of, well, everything. Being around him made me feel as if _I _was the one with a raving fever instead of him, he was always so calm and beautiful even though he was the one who was dying. "What did he say, Lizzie?"

"He said it was a shame for his granddaughter to parade around with the dead. Livy, he's very angry," she looked up at me and her eyes were so intense. "You need to be careful. He never did like the Masen's and if he finds out you're spending time with their son, who knows what he will do."

"I know." I ran a hand through my hair, wrapping a finger around a dark curl. "He never cared before, but I guess he just wants to keep track of the black sheep of the family."

"Livy—"she looked at me with the same concern that she and our mother have whenever the subject of our grandfather is brought up.

"I don't really care." And that was true, because right now his approval doesn't really matter all that much to me anymore. I knew I was too different than him and everyone else in my family. The resident introvert who is much too serious on some matters and not on those that matter to him.

"You know he loves you," Lizzie gave a smile that I just had to reflect back.

"Sure," I felt slight tears prickle my cheeks and I quickly wiped them away. "Look at us, the mere mention of him makes us forget how happy we were just a couple of days ago. Now, how are things going with a certain doctor," I winked.

"Nothing is happening," she sighed. "I think he may already have somebody. We only ever talk about dull matters, or stand around in silence." She gave a little laugh," I'll most likely forget him in a month or so."

_No __you __won__'__t._ I smiled at her then turned towards the window.

"Do you ever things are going to change?" I tapped the glass; the view right now was difficult. The sun was so bright that usually one would avert their eyes, but at this moment I just wanted to look past it.

"What do you mean?"

Edward Anthony Masen. He was never going to get better, was he? My long-time crush and short lived friendship were all that I was going to have. This time was all that I was going to have with him, he was one who actually depended on me. Even if it was only just for books. This is my only chance to actually become something special to him. All I need is this time to make me content with what I have.

"Nothing," I smiled. "Nothing at all."


End file.
